FUTURE TEACHERS’ SOFT SKILLS AND THEIR PLACE IN ENSURING THE EFFECTIVENESS OF LEARNING IN THE CONDITIONS OF EMERGENCIES

Abstract

The requirements for education that were first due to the pandemic and then by martial law in Ukraine, have set educational institutions the task of implementing the learning process initially online and then in a blended format. Online learning has become a challenge for the teaching community in organizing the interaction of participants in the educational process as a whole. Leaving the comfort zone of a practicing teacher, who wasn’t prepared for online interaction, nor by educational institutions nor by the Institutes for Professional Development, led to stress among educators, active selfstudy without the fear of being in a confined space due to the possibility of getting ill. Martial law only escalated the stress situation of Ukrainian teachers, because, despite the need to work in a blended format, teachers had to motivate and support learners and their parents, putting aside their own fear for their lives and the lives of their families and friends. It is only the development of flexible skills, or so-called soft skills, that allows every person, and teachers in particular, to overcome stress, remain calm, critically assess situations, and be stress-resistant. The article defines that developed teachers’ soft skills advance teachers’ stress resistance ensuring during the organization of the educational process in the conditions of emergencies. Among the various soft skills (communication skills, leadership skills, the ability to appreciate diversity and demonstrate tolerance and moderation to various forms of selfrepresentation of children and inclusion), the essence of flexible skills of emotional intelligence, emotional self-regulation, self-reflection, and resilience are revealed. The authors specify ways to increase teachers’ stress resistance: relaxation (auto training, meditation, laughter therapy, color therapy, aromatherapy, yoga, creative attempts at self-expression), recreation (physical education, breathing exercises), catharsis (communication with loved ones, pets, acquiring art hobby). The methods of increasing stress resistance are identified, namely: socio-psychological resources, psychological education and psychological culture of the individual, personal resources, information and instrumental resources, material resources, nature, and ways of overcoming stressful situations.